Column by Bro. Terry Ivy
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.” (Psalm 119:67) When people think of the American dream, it usually involves comfort and riches, a life of leisure and hobbies. After all, most of society seems to live for the weekends and warm weather. We worship the sun, song, and summer. When beautiful weather comes around, our thoughts ramp up toward our three favorite people—me, myself and I. We become ‘puppets on a string’ to blue skies and warm nights.
Then, tragedy strikes. We receive a phone call and learn that affliction has hit a close friend, our family, or our life. Our world is rocked because we’ve been in charge instead of walking surrendered to the one we call our Lord and Savior. We are caught off guard and walk around looking like a calf staring at a new gate. Our minds are consumed with the tragic news. The rug has been pulled out from under our dreams, and there is no railing to grab. We feel we are at the mercy of affliction, and like a harsh taskmaster, it leads us down a sour and desperate trail.
For the Christian, there is another story line that develops. The Lord, with His loving care and tender mercies, will use affliction to recapture our hearts toward the sufficiency of Christ. He is more committed to us and our spiritual development than we could possibly imagine. After all, He left the splendors of heaven, walked upon the shores of time, and died on a cruel cross just to bring us into fellowship with the Father.
What if there was a greater plan and purpose behind our troubles and trials? What if the Lord used them to send a wake-up call to our hearts and point us back to our first love? What if the hardships we walk through were to help us sharpen our focus upon the things that really matter? What if our affliction is to train us to hear God’s voice clearer?
The Scriptures are full of examples where the Lord used affliction to correct and train His children. I understand that some affliction is the work of Satan and we must learn to stand against that, but what about God’s gentle correction. Affliction can be a path of mercy to bring us into maturity, to help us get our priorities in order, or to reveal the love of Christ to us in a new way.
We must never be glib concerning the suffering of others, as we will fail to offer hope and help. However, sometimes affliction is not an enemy, but a friend that brings us into God’s presence. Like an escort at a homecoming dance, affliction can bring us into the center of the dance floor, where the light shines the brightest. Affliction can bring us into the spotlight of the presence and love of Christ. Let us not waste our sorrows, because sometimes, like a close friend who will tell us the truth, affliction can be… a friend from God!
